Egypt shows Hamas is the problem in Gaza

It is all very well Britain, the EU and the United Nations demanding an end to Israel’s blockade of Gaza. But which of these entities will step up and ensure Hamas does not use any lifting of the blockade to smuggle yet more weapons into Gaza with which Hamas terrorists attack Israel indiscriminately?

The UN has demonstrated again its utter uselessness as it has stood by while Hezbollah re-arms in southern Lebanon, bringing in weapons and ammunition from Syria and Iran. If Israel does not restrict the flow of materials, Hamas will re-arm just as quickly in Gaza. Why should Israel be condemned for taking actions to prevent the attacks we all know will be launched?

While the international community and the world’s media focuses attention on Israel’s attempts to maintain the blockade following the fatal actions on the high seas, there seems to be an absence of comment about Egypt’s blockade of Gaza. Having publicity about an Islamic nation also blockading the Hamas administration doesn’t seem to suit the anti-Israel campaigners. But surely it is telling that a country that is effectively an enemy of Israel shares concerns about Hamas’ intentions. Egypt proves the issue in Gaza is not Israel, but Hamas. Since its bloody takeover, Gaza has been converted into a militarised zone where the powerbrokers are bent on the destruction of the Israeli state.

Few people seem to ask why the people of Gaza experience shortages, yet Hamas with its myriad of tunnels and smuggling routes, seems well capable of importing weaponary and ammunition. There also seems to be no shortage of mobile phones and other mod cons in Gaza, which seems rather curious for a territory that struggles to acquire life’s basics. Why don’t the protesters raise this and demand Hamas explain why its priority is obtaining weapons rather than acquiring much needed aid? Perhaps because of the uncomfortable truth that Hamas is responsible for more deaths in Gaza than Israel. Its civil war with Fatah has brought about many of the problems and its continuing aggression against Israel has resulted in restrictions of what can be imported.

It is terrible that lives have been lost as some well meaning people, manipulated and egged on by extremists, have blindly attempted to break the blockade. It is no surprise to see appeased terrorists such as Martin McGuinness and the usual suspects from places like Northern Ireland at the forefront of the effort to prop up a violent faction that rules Gaza by fear. But then, these important facts that put the thing into context are not helpful in winning over an ill-informed global public.

Cairo believes that if it left the Egypt-Gaza border wide open Israel would wash its hands of responsibility for ensuring the Gazans receive enough to keep them alive.

Egypt would then find itself responsible for Gazan food, water, medical supplies, electricity and other essentials. Egyptian diplomats have a real fear that Israel would seal the border with Gaza completely if it could. This would leave Egypt with humanitarian responsibility whilst Israel kept political and military dominance. In essence Egypt clears up the mess, Israel keeps the right to destroy, move in or attack whenever it wants to reversing everything done.

“Egyptian resources and the authorities might find it hard to prevent an influx of Gaza Palestinians seeking work and housing.”

The U.S. also presses Egypt to maintain the blockade, in the belief that it will weaken Hamas and force it into submission. The Egyptian government receives $1.4 billion a year, as well as a strategic alliance with Washington.